Dust mop cleaner



United States Patent Ofice 3,531,818 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 3,531,818 DUST MOP CLEANER Marvin C. Gardner, Box 66, Doland, S. Dak. 57436, and William Irnm, Turton, S. Dak. 57477 Filed Sept. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 758,973 Int. Cl. A471 7/00 US. Cl. 15311 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for cleaning a mop, the device comprising a longitudinal trough within which the mop may be moved back and forth and thus pass across an opening in the bottom of the trough to which one end of a hose is secured, the opposite end of the hose being connected to a vacuum cleaner so as to draw lint dust and dirt from the mop.

This invention relates generally to cleaning devices for brushes and mops.

It is generally well known to those skilled in the art that from time to time a mop or brush must be cleaned in order to be eificient, and it is a practice of most homemakers to shake out a mop so as to remove the lint, dust and dirt which clings thereto. Such cleaning operation however is not fully efficient, and there is according- 1y a need for an improved method of cleaning a dust mop.

Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a dust mop cleaner which comprises an elongated trough within which the mop head may be made to slide back and forth while at the same time passing across an opening in the bottom of the trough, the opening being connected to one end of a hose which at its opposite end is connected to a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner thus drawing the dirt, dust and lint from the mop as it passes across the opening.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dust mop cleaner which accordingly permits the cleaning of a dust mop without the necessity of shaking the mop out of doors which can be particularly aggravating when it is necessary to shake the mop during cold wintry weather or during a rain.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dust mop cleaner which will not in any way injure the mop head and which will produce a superior cleaning job.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a dust mop cleaner which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efiicent in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspertive view of the present invention shown in operative use;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a dust mop cleaner according to the present invention wherein there is an elongated trough 11 which is supported at its opposite ends upon a pair of feet 12.

The trough 11 may be made from wooden boards or other desirable material, the trough including a horizontal bottom wall 13 and a pair of vertically upstanding, opposite side walls 14. The walls define a channel 15 therebetween into which a mop head 16 of a mop 17 may be loosely fitted, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

A nozzle 18 is secured to the underside or the bottom wall 13, the nozzle having an opening 19 therein, and the nozzle having an upstanding peripheral lip 20 which protrudes upwardy through the bottom wall 13 and extends a short distance above the upper side of the bottom wall 13, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The nozzle 18 is located along an intermediate portion of the bottom wall between its opposite ends. The nozzle 18 is secured at its opposite end to one end of a vacuum hose 21 which at its opposite end is connected to a conventional vacuum cleaner that is electrically operated by means of electric cord 23 having a plug 24 at its terminal end for peing received into an electrical outlet socket In operative use, a person grasps the handle 25 of the dust mop 17 and then moves the same horizontally as indicated by the arrow 26 in FIGS. 1 and 2' of the drawing, the mop head thus being drawn from one end of the trough to the opposite end during which travel the mop head moves across the upwardly protruding lips 20 of the nozzle which thus serve to rake the mop head strands as they pass by. With the vacuum cleaner motor turned on, a suction of air is pulled into the nozzle 18 and through the hose 21 to the vacuum cleaner 22. As the dust laden mop moves across the nozzle, the vacuum accordingly sucks the dust, lint and dirt from the mop and into the vacuum cleaner.

Thus there has been provided an improved method of cleaning a dust mop in a more efiicient manner.

It is of course understood that the lip 20 of the nozzle may be provided with a plurality of upstanding teeth to serve as rake elements, if so desired.

While various changes may be made in the detailed description, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as so defined by the appended claim.

We claim:

1. In a dust mop cleaner, the combination of a trough, said trough comprising a means for guiding a back and forth movement of a mop head placed within said trough, and said trough having self-contained means for withdrawing dirt, dust and lint from said mop head as the same is moved back and forth within said trough, said trough comprising an elongated member including a horizontal bottom wall, a pair of upstanding, parallel, spaced apart side walls secured to said bottom wall, said walls defining a channel there between within which said mop head is slideable, and said trough being mounted upon. a pair of spaced apart feet, each of which is located below said bottom wall and near the opposite ends therof, said means for withdrawing dust, dirt and lint comprising a nozzle secured to the underside of said bottom wall, said nozzle having an upwardly extending circular lip which protrudes through 3 said bottom wall, said lip having an upper edge which extends above the upper side of said bottom wall so to form a protrusion against which said mop head abuts during horizontal back and forth travel so to readily dislodge said dirt, lint and dust from said mop, said circular lip being provided with a plurality of upwardly extending teeth, said nozzle being approximately centrally positioned between longitudinal opposite ends of said bottom wall, said nozzle being connected to one end of a vacuum hose which at its opposite end is connected to a vacuum cleaner which draws air from said nozzle to said vacuum cleaner and thus withdraws said dirt, dust and lint from said mophead as said mophead is passed across an opening of said nozzle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 ROBERT w. MICHELL, Primary Examiner 

